DIY Prepares Emergency Hospitals To Handle COVID-19 Patients

YOGYAKARTA - The Provincial Government of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) has prepared an emergency hospital to handle the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

DIY Regional Secretary Kadarmanta Baskara Aji in Kepatihan, Yogyakarta, said an emergency hospital needed to be established because the Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) in hospitals was almost 100 percent.

"Our BOR condition is already very high, you could say it's 100 percent because it's already 99 percent," Aji said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, July 14.

Beds for COVID-19 patients in hospitals, he continued, must be added so that health facilities can still accommodate patients when there is a spike in cases of corona virus infection.

"As stated at the meeting earlier, the scenario is that if there is an increase of around 30 percent (of COVID-19 cases) then our lack of beds (beds) is around 2,000, but if (increase in cases) 60 percent (need for beds) it's up to 3,000," he said. Aji.

In a meeting with the central government, Aji said, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono said that his ministry would help prepare emergency hospitals in DIY.

The PUPR Ministry will assist in the preparation of BBWS ASN flats on the North Ring Road of Yogyakarta which can accommodate 272 people as well as student dormitories at Yogyakarta State University (UNY) and Gadjah Mada University (UGM) which can each accommodate 166 people as a place for handling COVID-19 patients. .

The DIY Provincial Government also requested assistance from the central government in preparing health workers to support the service of COVID-19 patients in the three places that will serve as emergency hospitals.

"I don't think a field hospital like this needs very complete equipment because the idea from the Faculty of Medicine UGM is that the existing hospitals will be able to accommodate those who are nearing recovery (after being treated at the main hospital)," said Aji.